


Smile

by Tesla_Rolex



Series: Happier Times and Happier Moments of the Past, Present, and Future [3]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Anxiety, Bartender!Ren, Children of the main cast, Does it tie to A&F? WHO KNOWS?!, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Music, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-12 07:51:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19127740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tesla_Rolex/pseuds/Tesla_Rolex
Summary: The future. Terrifying for some, enlightening for others.But for Ren Amamiya and Makoto Niijima, the future and all that's in it brings one thing:Resolution.Here is but a taste of their future, in but another day in the life of the Amamiya family.





	1. Though your heart is achin'

**Author's Note:**

> So  
> Hi.  
> How are all of you guys?  
> So, before we get started, I just want to get some things out of the way.  
> First of all, I'm so sorry that the last fic I ever updated was 6 months ago. These past few months at school have been pure hell to say the least, so I wasn't able to update or even work on anything.  
> In fact, even regardless of school, these past few months have been very very very tough on my psyche. But that's a story for another day. I just hope I haven't disappointed any of you guys with this lack of an update.  
> Second, yes, A&F Chapter 19 is coming. Sooner rather than later hopefully now that school is over for me. Also if you haven't read it yet, please check it out, it's my pride and joy.  
> And finally, what you're about to read: It's a spin off fic, taking place in the future, specifically the year 2040. It is my take on the lives of Ren and Makoto in the future. To be honest, this fic was actually created to vent my feelings and frustrations over these past few months. To some, it may be obvious, to others, maybe not. But the fic turned out to be 10,000 words, so I'll divide it into...3-5 chapters-ish.  
> But for now, I hope everyone enjoys this fic I'm actually super proud of.

May 17th, 2040

 

It was another day in the life for the Amamiya Twins. They were just coming back from a school day, at Shujin, the alma mater of their parents. It’s a very different school than it was back then. Better teachers, better treatment of students from the faculty, and a more sturdy network to prevent bullying. In fact, thanks to the insistence of many of the former students, Ren and Makoto Amamiya, they had even taken steps to make sure that mental health was properly addressed. And it worked out pretty well. Sure, there were often bad apples, both in faculty and among students, that slipped through the cracks, but right now, Akira and Ryota Amamiya were fairly happy…Despite having a bit of an argument on their way home.

 

“Okay look.”

 

“Oh here we go.”

 

Akira was wearing a jacket over her shoulders, but she just couldn’t be bothered to actually put her arms in the sleeves. It was a beautiful day after all. She at least had the top button of her jacket attached so it would stay on. She had bandages around her hands too, mainly because of her side gig as a boxer(and bandages on her legs as well, because of her _other_ side gig as a gymnast at the local circus). Her hair was styled like her Aunt Sae, with a slight undercut on the side.

 

And finally, her eyes...were a rare case. Despite being born around the same time as her brother(mere minutes apart in fact), they had several differences. That being the eyes. Akira’s are hetero-chromatic: one eye dark grey, like her father, and the other red, like her mother. Weirdly enough though, no one found it extremely odd. She wasn’t sure if it was because the world was weird enough as is, so this seemed like nothing. Or because her father had a similar feature. Either way, it didn’t bother Akira, she personally loved her dual colored eyes.

 

And as for Ryota, he had some glasses on currently, because like his father, his eyesight was all over the place. He actually had to create custom goggles for when he invented new projects, so that he could _see_ what he’s working on. Weirdly enough, today was the one day he decided to bring his glasses rather than his safety goggles. He always brought them to school, much to the frustration(and moderate amusement) of his parents. His hair was frizzy as well, surprisingly more unkempt than his father. Unlike his parents and even his sister however, he was a lot more lankier and skinny. Some people at school picked on him, but everyone in his family and “extended” family made sure he never beat himself up about it. It was a part of who he was and it was by no means a bad thing at all. He had some burn marks around his fingers and some slight cuts as well, because he tended to be a bit careless while working. Around his neck was a USB connected to a necklace. On that was all of his data and blueprints about all he’s been working on. For his attire, he wore his school uniform, but under it was this red fancy shirt, almost making his whole outfit look like a pinstripe suit belonging to a mafioso. And finally, unlike his sister, he had purely his mother’s red eyes.

 

At the moment, Akira was “loudly discussing” as Mr. Akechi had often joked they were capable of doing, with Ryota the logistics of their situation in Math class.

 

“Can we both agree that for the most part Math is fairly easy for us?”

 

“For the most part, yes, I do.”

 

“So why is it, right when we are reaching our first set of exams, we struggle with _vectors_ of all things?! Even you, one of the smartest people in school-”

 

“Doubtful.”

 

“-is having trouble with this! Like what the hell do we do here?!”

 

“Uhhhhhhhh...I have no idea. Maybe we can ask Mom and Dad for help? Or Aunt Fut-Oh wait, she hated Math right?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“So Mom’s our best shot?”

 

“To be honest, I think she’s our only shot. I mean, no one else gets this nonsense either! It’s bad enough that I’ve been having awful luck with Math lately, now this? And then there’s you, whose never gotten a bad grade in Math!”

 

“Okay, that’s not entirely true! At the beginning of the year I just, bombed one of the tests. I think it was about...trigonometry something? I barely remember. But...yeah, okay besides that I’ve done well. But with vectors, who knows!”

 

“Uh huh. Anyways, we’re here. Might as well check in on Dad.”

 

They stood in front of the giant apartment building they lived in. It was 20 floors up, and thanks to a generous donation from multi-billionairess Haru Okumura, their family lived on the top floor. Ren and Makoto both co-ran a law/investigative firm: Arsene Defense and Investigations. Makoto and former Detective Prince, and just plain old Detective, Naoto Shirogane lead the detective side, Ren, Yu Narukami, and Aunt Sae lead the defense attorney side, while Futaba was their chief technical advisor. They ran it pretty well, but if Ren or Makoto didn’t have any cases, or the two of them weren’t feeling well, they ran a bar/cafe on the side simply called Mementos.

 

There were many days that their father especially just didn’t feel well. For a while, the twins didn’t really understand it. They just attributed the fact that he had a metal arm and red right eye, while the other one seemed more natural with a black eye color, as completely normal. Only when they turned 10 that they suspected it as being strange. And the frequent days where their dad was just cooped up in his room. But when they were 14, and fully realized that their parents were Phantom Thieves, their mom had told them that there would often be days where their father just...thought about his times as a Phantom Thief, and it was too much for him.

 

Akira remembers that at the time, in her infinite naivety, she asked, “What could’ve been bad about being a Phantom Thief?! It’s such a cool thing!”

 

And Makoto had just smiled, and said something along the lines of “Not everything about our time as Phantom Thieves was fun. You know how there are days in school where you feel down, but some days where you feel really happy? It’s like that in a way!”

 

Akira and Ryota didn’t understand it at the time until they turned 16, and started having anxiety attacks. They both wondered if Ren had felt the same at times. It would make sense, especially considering that when they had those moments, Ren was always the first to comfort them, and he always talked and helped as if he’d been there before. But they didn’t know for certain.

 

But at the moment, that didn’t matter. They were both in the elevator waiting to meet their Dad after a long day of school. They always loved seeing him. Well, both of their parents.

 

“Do you think he’s opened Mementos today?”

 

“Well it’s a Thursday, so I assume he did. I wonder if he’ll let us have his brew again.”

 

“Oooooh! Can’t wait!” Then Akira smirked. “Just do me a favor little bro, try not to get too addicted this time.”

 

“Hey, I detest that! First, didn’t we agree that _I_ was the big brother here? And second, this coming from the person who is unnaturally hooked to soda?”

 

“Mmmmmmmm I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

 

“Uh huh.”

 

They had finally arrived at their destination. Home sweet home. This apartment had been their home for as long as they had been alive, and man did they still love it. Once you stepped out of the elevator, a door immediately on the right lead to the cafe/bar. Mementos the bar was a big place actually. There was a counter where drinks and coffee would be served and several chairs in front of it. And behind those chairs where these almost couches where people can sit down and eat. It was almost like their Grandpa Sojiro’s cafe LeBlanc, except bigger. Off of the cafe was an office, where “Arsene Defense and Investigations” met up. It had a nice cozy feeling to it, and the twins could recount several points where the two had stumbled in to play with their parents. And finally, there was a stairway next to the cafe, that lead to the big apartment the Amamiyas had. Three bedrooms, one for Makoto and Ren, one for Ryota and Akira, and the other a guest bedroom. There were three bathrooms as well, all being connected to the bedrooms. A nice central living room area, with the kitchen, TV, dinner table, futon bed, and balcony all being centralized around there. The kids had a bunk bed and a study table with a monitor hooked up to a few game consoles, all courtesy of Aunt Futaba. While the parents had a room with a TV hooked up to some consoles and cable(also courtesy of Futaba) and a very nice bed. And to top it off, because this was the top floor, upstairs lead to an area that was completely open to the sky, with a tree, dining table, and even a small plank to sit on if one of the Amamiyas were feeling contemplative. All in all it was a very nice place that they all had adored.

 

They had entered the cafe with their bags around their back but took them off and put it on one of the many couches. Akira called out first. “Dad! We’re home!”

 

Usually Ren would be at the cafe waiting for them, but he wasn’t there at the moment. In fact, no one was at the cafe. What the twins didn’t notice was that the sign on the door behind them actually said…

 

**CLOSED**

 

But even if he wasn’t at the cafe, he’d be upstairs and upon hearing their call, the twins would hear a loud thumping down the stairs and their father would be right there waiting for them. But about a minute passed after the call, and yet…and nobody came.

 

They didn’t hear anything either. No sounds, no nothing. Just the eerie sound of a fan. Oh, and Ren’s record player playing. The song playing was one of his favorites: Smile by Jimmy Durante. The lyrics sounded out and on most occasions with their father behind the counter, the song would be beautiful or filled with some sense of happiness. But with no one else there, it was only ominous.

 

This time Ryota called out. “Dad? Where are you?”

 

Once again no sounds except the music. Until they heard one sound. From behind the counter.

 

_Groaning._

 

Akira and Ryota looked at each other and Akira stepped forward cautiously and ever so slowly to look behind the counter. And there he was. Ren Amamiya. Resting in a fetal position with a deeply pale body and face. He was looking up at the ceiling but rather than the optimistic face of their father they all knew and love...his eyes were vacant. Lost. _Empty_.

 

He was broken. And before when this kind of thing happened, he was alone.

 

But now, his kids were watching him.

 

And for the second time that day, a great dread filled him. Because now his children were let into a world he never wanted them to see.

 

A world where their father was more than the bartender or cafe owner, more than the defense attorney, more than the caring father. And more than the former Phantom Thief.

 

A world where he was…

 

Mortal.


	2. Even Though It's Breakin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren still reels from his episode, while Akira and Ryota try to figure out just how they can help their father.

Akira immediately panicked and quickly knelt down to face her father, and once he realized what was happening, so did Ryota. “Dad? Are you okay?”

 

Ren’s eyes opened ever so slowly and they widened. He wasn’t expecting to see them here. “Hey kiddos. How are you?” He spoke with a raspy voice. He sounded exhausted.

 

Akira’s eyes immediately went wide. “‘How are we?’ How are _you?_ You looked like you passed out, are you okay?!”

 

Ren made a move to get up. “Yeah, I’m totally fine, just taking a small rest.” But his actions betrayed his words, as the moment he stood up, he immediately collapsed back to the ground, hitting his head on the bar counter and nearly having a bunch of drinks topple of his head, until Ryota helped keep them at bay.

 

Then he spoke with a concerned voice. “Dad, you clearly aren’t fine. What happened?”

 

He then looked truly dejected as he spoke. “...Nothing important at all. I swear.”

 

The twins both looked at each other with doubting eyes, then Akira fiercely turned to face Ren. “Wait...did you take your meds today?”

 

“...No.”

 

The pair sighed in horror. Then Akira looked at Ryota. “Okay. Ryo, call mom.”

 

“Got it.”

 

“Okay Dad, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to help you up to your feet, you’re going to lean on me, and I’m going to help you up the stairs. After calling mom, Ryota will grab your pills for you and you’ll take them. And then we can watch a movie, play a game, or do something else for you to calm down. Then if you want, you can tell us what’s going on. Okay?”

 

Ren smirked tiredly. “I guess I don’t have a choice huh?”

 

As the music blared on after repeating once again, Akira smiled while Ryota dialed a number on his phone. “No you do not. Come on.”

 

She held out his hand, and after a few moments he took it. The [music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmnrdd3LrRY)’s lyrics echoed out before it was turned off by the young lady.

 

“ _Smile, ♩_

 

_Though your heart is achin'_

 

_Smile,_

 

_Even though it's breakin'_

 

_When there are clouds in the sky_

 

_You'll get by..._

 

_If you smile ♩”_

 

The music turned off and Ren leaned on Akira as they both walked, or in Ren’s case hobbled, up the stairs.

 

Meanwhile, Ryota had dialed his mother’s number and was waiting for a pick up when it finally happened. “Hello?”

 

“Ryota? What’s wrong? How was school?”

 

“School was fine but...listen, when we got home, dad was passed out on the ground behind the bar counter. His body was pale and his eyes looked almost...like, dark or depressed? I can’t describe it.”

 

There was a silence on the other end of the line, until Makoto just softly said two simple, horrifying words: “Oh no.” Then she quickly asked, “Where is he now?”

 

“Akira took him upstairs. The plan is to get him to calm down somehow. Do you think you can come home soon? I think he really needs you.”

 

“Absolutely. I’m at a crime scene right now with Akechi, trying to make up for something Naoto wanted us to cover while out of town, but, knowing him, he’ll understand if he knows why I need to go home. Give me about ten minutes. But until then, please stay with him. Calm him down, try to relax him, make sure he takes his meds and has some water, or hell some other drink _except_ alcohol and coffee. He needs you too. Trust me on that.”

 

Ryota looked up towards the stairs in awe as he heard the sounds of Akira and their father settling down. And he smiled. “I will. I promise. I’ll see you soon Mom. I love you.”

 

Makoto smiled on the other side of the line. “I love you too.” Then she smirked. “I’ll bring some snacks on the way home, you guys have earned it.” Then a slight scowl. “Oh, and if you worry too much about homework with all that’s going on at the moment, I’ll be very angry. I’ll talk to Kawakami. Don’t you _dare_ stress over this, okay? **OKAY?!** ”

 

Ryota laughed. “Got it Mom, sheesh!” He hung up at that with a big smile. He grabbed the meds from one of the drawers and grabbed a soda from the mini fridge under the bar. Before he went upstairs however, he looked at the coffee pitchers and smiled. He had a bright idea at the moment.

 

Back upstairs, Akira was sitting with Ren on the futon. Ren was still quiet and his eyes looked vacant, even as Akira tried to talk to him.

 

“So there are a lot of things we can do right now. We can play some Monopoly, watch one of the old Marvel movies, and-Oh! We can maybe play a game on the TV! What do you think Dad?” She looked towards her father and saw his once again vacant eyes. “Dad?”

 

Ren just sighed and looked at her daughter with once again hopeless eyes. “Look Akira, I appreciate the attempt but...you can’t help here. Not even Makoto can at times. So just...don’t even try and...leave me alone.”

 

Ren looked downwards in shame, inwardly worrying that he had hurt Akira with that comment. But maybe she’d get the hint and just let him rest. But he immediately noticed that she didn’t leave. In fact, she just sat on the futon right next to him.

 

Ren looked up at her and saw eyes with tears in them, but she didn’t seem sad. She almost looked lost. But she was still doing her best to smile. “Look...Dad, I don’t know what I’m doing. But you’ve been there for me over and over and over again in the past few years. Whether during school, or during my fights, or my time at the circus. You’ve never stopped. I may not know what I’m doing...But I’m going to keep trying. So I’m not going anywhere.” Then she smirked. “Amamiyas never do.”

 

Ren was stunned. But stranger things have happened, and her daughter refusing to leave him be is probably the least surprising. He looked up at her and smiled wide. Both of their children were the splitting image of Makoto Niijima and himself. And he right now, his depression had lifted for a brief second to realize one thing. A reality, an undeniable fact that he let Akira in on.

 

“Akira...I…” He hugged her tightly, to which she was slightly surprised by. “Thank you. I am so so proud of you.”

 

The two of them were smiling wide, until a voice called out from behind. “I hate to interrupt this moment but I brought some things.”

 

They both looked up to see Ryota at the stairs, carrying a tray with him. He walked forward with a smile, placing the tray on the table, and giving the contents to both Ren and Akira. “Alright, here’s soda for Akira, water for me, and for you dad, water with your meds. Mom is on her way home soon.”

 

Ren opened the med bottle, and took one and threw it into his mouth, swallowing it with the water. Then he smiled with an eyebrow raised. “Wait, don’t you guys have homework to worry about?”

 

Ryota grinned. “Well, Mom threatened us if we worried about it, and I’d rather not incur her wrath.”

 

The three of them laughed a bit. The mood was ever so slightly starting to lift in the room. Then Akira was the first to speak. “So now that we’re all feeling a little better...what do you want to watch Dad?”

 

Ren did the “Signature Amamiya Pose” and put his hand on his chin in thought. Then he smiled. “Spider-Verse?”

 

Akira and Ryota both looked at each other with big grins, and at the same time jumped on the futon. Ryota started to geek out a bit. “Oh my gosh I can’t _wait_ to watch this movie again!”

 

Then Akira did the same while smiling a lot. “Right?! Gwen is so cool!”

 

Then their father grinned. “Well, I’m glad you guys are as excited as I am. Let’s get started!”

 

* * *

 

 

About 30 minutes had passed and the Amamiyas were fully engrossed in their movie. But Makoto hadn’t arrived home just yet. Ren had kind of expected it, but he couldn’t help but still feel anxious. But lo and behold, as Spider-Man was fighting the Goblin with Miles being caught in the crossfire, the trio heard the door downstairs open. They all smiled at each other as they heard Makoto quickly dash up the stairs.

 

She reached the top and looked over the living room. “Ren? Akira? Ryota?” Once she saw that they were all sitting on the futon together, she eased up significantly and smiled slightly. But she still looked deeply concerned. She placed her bag down on the table and slowly walked towards Ren. She kneeled down and placed her hands on both sides of Ren’s face. Ryota and Akira both made a face to each other as Makoto spoke to Ren with a smile.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Hah. Not really. But I’m feeling better than I was a while ago. These dorks helped with that.”

 

Makoto laughed and the twins high fived each other. She looked at them lovingly. “Thank you. I mean that. You guys have done great.” Then she looked at Ren with a concerned look. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Ren sighed. “No, not yet. Right now I just want to relax and do something...fun, I guess. Calm down a bit. Then I can talk.”

 

Makoto nodded. “Okay. Whenever you’re ready…” She looked at both Akira and Ryota and smiled. “ _We’ll_ be waiting to listen.”

 

The twins nodded in response and Ren just chuckled. Then Makoto looked at the tv, as she was grabbing the snacks(junk food from the local fast food restaurant), and smiled. “Spider-verse huh?”

 

Akira jumped up enthusiastically. “Yup! We’re about 35 minutes in! Dad suggested it!”

 

Makoto smirked. “Really? Mind if I join in?”

 

Ren laughed and Ryota without even being asked, moved to the side with a smile. Makoto sat between him and Ren with a giant grin as Ren started the movie back up.

 

Everyone's eyes were glued to the television as they were occasionally grabbing fries or a burger from her bag, just so they could all have a snack to eat while watching the movie.

 

But Ren was able to feel comfortable and safe. If only just for a little bit.

 

* * *

 

 

Now about two hours had passed. The Amamiyas finished watching Spider-Verse(everyone enjoyed it a lot, especially Makoto and Akira, who used the movie to show off their respective skills in martial arts, boxing, and gymnastics, much to Ren and Ryota’s combined amusement and fear), and after eating a bunch of fast food that Makoto had brought home, they had gone back and forth between a few games to play. Right now they were just finishing up a game of Monopoly...but rather than playing it on a board, they played it on their consoles. Just another day in the life.

 

Akira was the first to go bankrupt, much to her frustration. Then Makoto went bankrupt, much to her pure anger(especially since the railroads got her), and it was now a competition between Ryota and Ren. Ren had more monopolies, but Ryota had more properties and money. Right now though, he was coming scarily close to landing on Boardwalk, just being 6 spaces away.  

 

He pressed down the button to roll the dice. Right now, everyone was rooting for him rather than Ren, especially seeing as the one who had been severely distressed merely a few hours ago, was the one who had bankrupted them in the first place. 

 

“Come on, come on, please don’t get six, please don’t get six!”

 

“ **COME ON RYOTA, YOU GOT THIS!** ”

 

“Ren, dear, if you win, I’m kicking you out.”

 

“Out of our own house? That seems harsh!”

 

“Well, you have Boardwalk, so all bets are off.”

 

Ryota kept begging silently, until he finally let go of the button and the dice landed on the ground, revealing…

 

A six.

 

Ren started laughing hysterically, Akira screamed in agony, Makoto held her face in her hands, and Ryota just stared at the screen with a dejected look, screaming “ **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!** ” as his token slowly waddled towards Boardwalk. 

 

He arrived on the fully built property. Ren looked at him while still laughing. “So uh, you going to pay it off?”

 

Ryota just screamed out. “Are you insane?! God no, I’m mashing the bankrupt button right now and waiting till it lets me.”

 

Ren laughed even more, while Makoto just muttered “smug bastard.” 

 

He feigned a gasp. “Makoto! No language in front of the children!”

 

Akira bolted her head up. “Are you insane?! Have you heard how much Haruka and Kaito curse?”

 

Now Makoto was giggling as Ryota finally pressed bankrupt and the game ended. He smirked. “Yeah it’s almost unnerving how much they curse. There’s ‘cursing like sailors’, and then there is that!”

 

Ren smirked. “Well I guess the two get it from their parents. Though in the case of Kaito, only from his mother, because I’ve only heard Yusuke curse once, when he was insanely drunk.”

 

Ryota raised an eyebrow. “Wait, I’ve never heard Aunt Futaba curse? Nor Ryuji!”

 

Ren smirked. “Oh trust me, Futaba curses a lot. Working alongside her kind of helps to showcase that way more than you’d think.”

 

Then Makoto stepped in with a small smile. “And Ryuji has gone back and forth between cursing and not cursing. It’s a mixed bag.”

 

Then Akira grinned and gave Ryota a nudge. “Yeah, and Ann curses pretty much daily!”

 

Now all of them were laughing quite a bit. However, things were about to take a turn as Ren pulled up his phone to check a message, only to see a missed call from Futaba herself. He was just about to check the voicemail, when he pressed the wrong missed call, and replayed a message from 6 hours ago, from a man named Touma Ashi. The message replayed and as Ren dropped his phone with a horrible clang, his hands once again shaking furiously, the entire room was silence as a voice came over the phone.

 

It should've been that easy to forget what had happened earlier.

 

But it's _ neve _ r easy to forget things that traumatize you.

 

“ **REN?! YOU SON OF A BITCH! I’LL KILL YOU! MY LIFE IS RUINED BECAUSE OF YOU! I PROMISE, I’LL RUIN YOU AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE. I’LL SUE YOUR ASS AND MAKE YOU REGRET THE DAY YOU EVER CROSSED ME. NOW ANSWER MY CALLS BEFORE I MARCH OVER TO YOUR DUMP AND GIVE YOU A PIECE OF MY MIND!** ”

Especially if that thing deliberately comes back

 

To haunt you in the most unexpected ways.

 

_ A fact Ren Amamiya would soon learn once again. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! Once again, things took uh  
> A bit of a turn, amirite?  
> I was reluctant to leave that last part in there for this chapter, because I was afraid it would take away the impact from the happy stuff. But I don't think it will, especially since this isn't the end.  
> About 2 more chapters left!  
> Please tell me your thoughts in the comments, and I hope you enjoyed!


	3. When there are clouds in the sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There comes a moment in all of our lives where we feel just lost.  
> Helpless.  
> Alone.  
> In those moments, the best thing to have is someone sitting next to you, holding your hand, and to tell you that everything is going to be okay.  
> And luckily, unlike many years ago...  
> Ren Amamiya has those people right next to him.

The voicemail went to a dial tone. Ryota and Akira looked at each other with wide eyes. Then they looked at Makoto, who was giving the same look mixed with grave fear and concern to Ren, who had gone back into a fetal position.

 

Ren started sobbing while everyone kneeled at his side, making sure to comfort him. He said no words, just panted as he felt the whole world collapse around him.

 

Ryota spoke first, very quietly. “Come on Dad, just take a moment to relax.”

 

Then Akira. “Yeah, please, just breathe.”

 

And then Makoto, all with the same soft tone that her children held. “Ren, we’re not going anywhere. Just take your time, and we’ll be right here.”

 

So they moved closer to him, hugging him tightly, all to make sure he wasn’t alone. The room was silent for a while, the only sounds were made were those of Ren still breathing rapidly. But then Akira had an idea. She looked at Ren’s phone, the source of the grave offense to their family, and dropped to the ground to pick it up. Both Ryota and Makoto looked at her with questioning eyes as she opened the phone(Futaba had told them his password a long time ago as a fun prank. She never intended to use it but desperate times, desperate measures), and went to the music app. And once again she played a song Ryota and Akira had heard just moments before, and one that Makoto and Ren knew all too well.

 

“Smile,

 

Though your heart is achin'

 

Smile,

 

Even though it's breakin'

 

When there are are clouds in the sky

 

You'll get by...

 

If you smile

 

Through your fear and sorrow

 

Smile,

 

And maybe tomorrow

 

You'll see the sun come shinin' through,

 

For you…”

 

Makoto and Ryota smiled softly, and even Ren’s fast paced breathing began to slow down. He was calming down more and more as the music played. And even when it ended, it shuffled to a new song that calmed him down more. The shuffle went on and on, for about ten minutes, as the family slowly began to reach a point of tranquility as Ren’s sobbing and panic finally subsided.

 

Everything was fine again. And a few minutes had passed before Ren spoke once more, albeit very softly.

 

“Hey Makoto...Kids...can you help me to the roof?”

 

They looked at each other with slight concern, but followed his request. He slowly got up from the couch and his wife and twins both supported him as they all walked to the top floor. Once they finally reached it, Ren motioned them to let him down on the bench, and so they did.

 

Ren sat there, outlooking the now night sky with a small smile. The music never stopped playing, allowing him to appreciate the neon city around him. Shibuya had changed a lot in 24 years. Technology advanced quite a bit thanks to the numerous companies around it. But because the companies themselves were run by benevolent people such as Haru Okumura and Mitsuru Kirijo, it wasn’t a dystopian city. It walked the line for sure, but this wasn’t a city corrupted by greed and power. Not even one corrupted by apathy or sheer progress alone. It was powered off of hope. Because this world, this _city_ had witnessed the Phantom Thieves. The power of personas, the power of cognition, and the power of _people_. Of the masses. It had caused trouble in the past, yes. Especially because those “legends” were gone now. And just as much as the world had witnessed the good of people, and of personas, they had witnessed the darkness of a world they could never understand. But people like them, like the Amamiyas and their company, the police force, the newly reformed SIU, and even regular old vigilantes that had popped up previously many times helped to keep the balance. To remind the world of those legends. But they never need be reminded. Because they would never forget.

 

Stories now spanned the world of their chronicles. Comics, books, movies, tv shows, anime, manga, and even video games. Communities were everywhere now, all talking about the Phantom Thieves, those who had saved the world. In fact, years ago, the former Phantom Thieves helped set the ball rolling, by making just _one_ game about their exploits, and spread it around thanks to the Kirijo Group. It was simply called Persona.

 

The world now grew up with these stories told to them. It was a comfort to many. To know that these people helped many before in the past, and that they were just teenagers. Some people believed they were just that: stories. But many in the world knew the truth. The reality of the situation. Because many had simply lived it.

 

It was a lot to take in sometimes, but it helped keep at least Ren stable.

 

So he laughed slightly. “You know, every once in a while I come up here. To remind myself of what I’ve always been working towards. What’s been my end goal, my purpose. At one point, I believed it was to _save the world_. But now I just want to help people. With the ones I love by my side. It’s all I want really. All I could ask for. Looking out at all this city reminds me of it. But even on a day like today...It’s hard to say if it helps. Maybe I just needed the fresh air.”

 

Makoto was the first to speak. “Ren...that man on the phone. Was that who I think it was? _He_ did this to you?” Her tone was laced with trace amounts of anger, but mostly full of concern.

 

Akira and Ryota looked at each other, and the former nodded, looking at her parents with concern in her voice and eyes. “Who was that? Why did he say those things about you?”

 

Ren laughed slightly. “His name is Touma Ashi, and he’s the Father of my most recent client: Hideki Ashi. They both came in, having just lost their Mother/Wife named Karin Ashi, and they came to me. Me specifically. Their case was a simple one. The life of their mother was ruined and taken by the company they worked at, Atlas Corporation.”

 

Ryota raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. “Atlas? Aren’t they immensely corrupt?”

 

“They are, yes.” Ren nodded and smiled just a bit. “After we took them down a notch with a case last year, they’ve been running low on funds. Their end is very very near.”

 

Then his eyes became more dark and depressed. “But because of that, Karin was overworked, overspent. She came home miserable, anxious, and devoid of any sort of hope. It came to a point where she was so spent that she just...dropped dead. Heart attack. Severe. So they came to me. To tell me to pursue them, to make sure they pay. I told them this isn’t fully my department, that civil law would be more appropriate. They told me it should be me. That they had proof of criminal actions from Atlas, and that I was the best lawyer they had ever heard of. I brought Makoto into it and she helped a lot. But we noticed just how vindictive Touma was becoming. He was impatient, rushing us with every mere step we took. And because the criminal evidence was obtained illegally, and he was so adamant to go to court, eventually...he did. And we put up a damn good fight, _I_ put up a good fight. But it wasn’t enough. We lost the case. Atlas went off scot free. With the bad press surrounding them, especially now, they’re end is imminent. But it didn’t change a goddamn thing.”

 

Akira stepped forward with a heartbroken look in her eyes. “And I assume Touma didn’t take that well?”

 

On most occasions, Ren would’ve scoffed. But now he just looked down in sadness. “No, he didn’t. He called me today, right in the morning. It haunted me for a majority of the day, until he barged in during lunch time. He started yelling so so much. People stood up to defend me, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t stop and the damage was done. But I had heard people yell at me after I had lost a case for them before. What really broke me, was the look on his son’s face. Touma had dragged Hideki with him while he was chewing me out, but he had never said a word. After he left in a rage...Hideki stood there for a few seconds. And the look on his eyes. Of pure horror, of pure self hatred. But most of all...his eyes just looked vacant. And I knew that look because it was one I had seen in the mirror over and over again. And he was just 10 years old. After he left people kept coming up to me, saying everything was okay. But it wasn’t. After they had all left, I just collapsed to the ground. I was there for half an hour until you guys arrived.”

 

“But do you want to know the worst part?” He looked up at his family bitterly. “I still blame myself entirely. For all the damage done to them. All of it. I swear this keeps happening, over and over again! Hope keeps being kicked off from my doorstep! I just want it back more than anything!”

 

Makoto stepped forward with a worried and empathetic look on her face. “But you’re not responsible! You had nothing to do with the death of Karin, and you did your best no matter what happened!”

 

“B-But I could’ve done better! I always could’ve done better, but here I am now, having another episode because I’m worthles-!”

 

Before he could finish his sentence, both Akira and Ryota ran forward and tackle hugged him, throwing him completely off guard as he collapsed to the ground. Both of them started talking at the same time.

 

“Dad, none of this is your fault! You aren’t worthless at all! You’ve done your part, time and time again to help people, everyone you love, everyone around you! It’s because of you I took up boxing, a job at an Amusement Park, and still fight every single day to keep going, to keep living! What happens in the past is gone. All you can do is move on and do your best the next time around!”

 

Then Ryota stepped in as Ren was still floored. “She’s right! You’ve helped so many people over and over again that you’ve more than made your mark on the world! Have you made mistakes in the past? Yes, definitely, but it’s what makes us human! And you, more than anyone I’ve seen, have recovered from your mistakes time and time again! It’s why I have pursued engineering and it’s what keeps me going when I mess up!”

 

And then Ren looked up to see Makoto smiling down at them. “Ren, you aren’t Atlas...in this case the titan I mean. The weight of the world doesn’t have to be on your shoulders. We’ve done our part for the world, but we don’t have to save the world. You and I agreed a lifetime ago to never stop helping people, but one step at a time. Instead of trying to save the world, we try to help people. It’s why we changed our paths, but it’s why we are on this one together. And yes, the world has changed in 19 years. But it doesn’t mean we change. And you wanna know something?”

 

She knelt down beside Ren and their children. And she smiled wide. “I learned that from you.”

 

Ren was stunned. This seemed to be a habit too many times for him. Funny, he had enough strategic sense to plan out heists with Makoto then, and court cases now. But yet he could never be ready for the day someone gave him a legitimate compliment. His breathing was still accelerating though. So he took a deep breath and tuned the world out. He thought about what made him happy, he thought about his friends, his surrogate family. He thought about how beautiful the world was.

 

And then he thought about the people standing in front of him. The things that were crucial to him. Makoto. He thought about their marriage, their honeymoon, the moment they started their business, all of the times they’ve spent together. And their children. He thought about their birth. Their first steps. Their first words. Their first days at school. They’ve watched their arguments several times. Between them and well, Ren and Makoto themselves, and between the siblings of course. But they stick together. Always.

 

And just like that, he was back to reality again.

 

He smiled. Truly. And looked up at his family. “I’d like to get up off the ground now.”

 

Makoto grinned and held out her hand as both of their children got up off of him with that same smile. “Welcome back Ren.”

 

He took it and pulled himself upward. He smiled once he was upright. “You guys are honestly the best. I don’t deserve any of you.”

 

Makoto smiled softly. “You do. You absolutely do. That’s exactly the point. The amount of good you’ve done for everyone is incredible. One bad day doesn’t _have_ to destroy you. Not anymore.”

 

Ren smiled softly, but the delicate moment was interrupted by Akira. “So...what about Touma? Are you going to press charges? I remember Aunt Sae mentioned something about a similar thing happening to her and she filed harassment charges-”

 

But before she could continue, Ren held his hand up. “It’s okay. I have no intention of pressing charges. I’m frustrated and a bit upset for certain, but I don’t hate him. They’ve done the best they can in the circumstances, I wouldn’t blame them for how they feel. Your Mother and I have actually been there before.” At that, Makoto looked down in slight sorrow, a point which Ryota quickly picked up on, causing him to _wonder_.

 

Ren just continued however. “I can only hope that at some point they find some sense of resolution. And despite what they said, if they need me, I’m willing to help however I can.”

 

Makoto looked up from her stupor and smiled. “I expected nothing less from you, dear.”

 

Ren blushed slightly, but once again, before the moment could continue, Ryota interrupted. “I’m...sorry to interrupt but I had a question.” At the look of inquiry from the rest of his family, he continued on. “You mentioned an event nineteen years ago. You also mentioned being a similar place of anger and sadness that Touma Ashi and his son felt. I assume it ties to the story of how you got something important to you. A very specific item that has always struck me as...odd.” He looked up and saw everyone staring at him with wide eyes, so he blushed a bit and continued fiddling with his fingers. “Sorry, I’m rambling again. I guess what I’m trying to say is… When will you tell us about that?”

 

He pointed his finger at Ren, but not just any part of him. As Ryota said, it was a very specific item.

 

Ren’s robotic right arm.

 

He’d had it for almost twenty years now. And it wasn’t just that. His left eye, his red left eye. And the giant scar he had on his chest...and everywhere else. They were brands. Brands of a time long gone. A time not forgotten, but one that’s been moved on from. Quite a few knew, but none of the children did. Years ago, their parents made a collective vow to one day tell them all the secrets of their past. Because the last thing they wanted was for them to randomly find out. Akechi had already told his daughter _his_ past. But as for those events…those faithful events in 2021, no word had been said.

 

So Ren just smiled, even despite Makoto’s concerned look, and Akira’s questioning look. They’d wandered this for a while it seemed. “I’ll tell all of you soon. I promise. This story is one that takes a lot out of me. It’s one that’s been a brand on my life for years. And it’s taken me a lot of time to put the words together in my head, to make any sense of it, all that has happened. And with all that has been going on lately, it’s been hard. But I promise, this story? I will tell it. Because it matters. It’s important to all of our pasts...so that it won’t define your future.”

 

Akira and Ryota looked at each other and then back at Ren with wide eyes. Even Makoto gave him that same look, and spoke with a baffled expression. “That...certainly is one way of putting it.”

 

Ren chuckled. “Sorry, I guess we all have that habit of talking too much.”

 

Everyone responded to that in different ways.

 

“Boy I’ll say.”

 

“You aren’t...wrong”

 

“Amen to that!”

 

They all laughed slightly and once they had calmed down, Akira spoke. “Well, whatever happens, we can wait. This is _your_ story. How long it takes to share it is up to you. But we won’t judge you no matter what.”

 

He smiled softly. “Well, I appreciate that.” Then he looked around for a second and saw all of his family smiling again. Everyone was happy, everyone was content. All was well right now. Ren laughed. It was hard to believe sometimes how far they had all come. Makoto with his red trench coat and longer hair, Ren with his “brands” but also just a more pleasant air to him. Everyone had changed, now for the better. And they had the best children on the planet. As far as he considered, life was as good as it could be. So all that was left was to ask one question:

 

“What do you guys want to do now?”

 

There was a pause. And then Akira raised her hand with a small smile. “...Capcom vs SNK 2?”

 

The other three stared in awe, and then exclaimed.

 

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

 

“Ooooo! I’ve been itching to play that game for the past few _work-filled_ months!”

 

“ **FINALLY!!!** ”

 

And at that, everyone slowly piled back in. All of them were voicing their excitement to play, with Makoto and Akira discussing their main characters(for Makoto it was Chun Li, Sakura, and King, while for Akira it was Sakura, Athena Asamiya, and Hibiki Takane), while Ren and Ryota discussed other fighting games they liked and their own favorite characters(for Ren, Kyosuke Kagami, Eagle, and Terry Bogard, and for Ryota, Haohmaru, Rock Howard, and Ryo Kusanagi). But all that’d just happened a few minutes ago was nearly forgotten, as life went on. Because Ren took comfort in the fact that he wouldn’t be alone ever again. That _none_ of them would ever be alone again. Who were they?

 

She was Akira Amamiya, boxer and gymnast part of the local Shibuya fair.

 

He was Ryota Amamiya, inventor and one of the smartest in his class.

 

She was Makoto Amamiya, the detective working for Arsene Defense and Investigation and the loyal and devoted firebrand, forever and always.

 

And he was Ren Amamiya, the defense attorney, founder of Arsene Defense and Investigations, and owner of the cafe/bar Mementos. He was the optimist. The guardian. The Joker.

 

And they were the Amamiyas.

 

And they were a team. And nothing could break them apart ever again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this...  
> Is my favorite chapter by far. Few reasons  
> 1\. The description of 2040 Shibuya. And yes, it is totally Cyberpunk. I've been kind of obsessed with the genre lately so this was a dream for me, plus it fit really well with this story, and Persona as a whole.  
> 2\. The personal nature of what Ren's going through. See, the idea of feeling useless, going through massive self loathing, and just...dealing with an argument or falling out like that hits close to home for me. That's actually what these past few months for me have consisted of.  
> And 3. Just...the idea of having someone there with you. Rn I have some great friends with me, but, i guess, I just feel lonely still. This was important to me to put into words because it means so much.  
> And last little note: That note about 19 years ago IS an A&F reference. This DOES take place in the same world. I made sure not to reveal anything that hasn't been revealed yet. Trust me, Ren and Makoto being married and having kids isnt a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It makes you wonder how things get from one place to another, from A&F to this. Also for those who don't know Alone and Forsaken is my most popular story that is super long and hasn't had a chapter in a while. If you havent read it and know about p3, p4, and of course p5, please check it out, you won't regret it.  
> And last, what Ren says about telling the story is basically my message to you.  
> It's coming.  
> It may take time, it may take patience. But it's coming  
> Sooner rather than later hopefully.  
> But I hope you enjoyed and please leave a comment if you did!


	4. You'll Get By: An Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Resolution finally comes back to the Amamiyas.

[ The Very Next Day ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H48j3KGBomU) :

 

_ “Sailin' away on the crest of a wave _

 

_ It's like magic _

 

_ Oh, rollin' and ridin' and slippin' and slidin' _

 

_ It's magic _

 

_ And you, and your sweet desire _

 

_ You took me higher and higher, baby” _

 

“Hey Sei! What’ll you have today, the usual?”

 

It was now May 18th, a Friday. Akira and Ryota had just gotten back from school, and Makoto had no work today so they were helping out Ren in Mementos, as he had opened it back up after almost a day of absence. Well, sort of. Akira and Ryota were actually working on their vectors homework in one of the seats, with Makoto helping out however she could. But other than that, it was basically a full house. Ren wasn’t sure why, but maybe it had to do with Futaba  _ really _ getting the word out, especially after finding out what happened the previous day. The bar had taken months to construct but the way it looked...the entire family was super proud of it. And as for the names of the drinks, coffees, and meals, well…

 

“You know me Ren!”

 

“A Dakini it is! Are you sure your tarot reading didn’t come out as Empress?”

 

“Maybe I need to relook at it. What can I say, it’s calling to me!”

 

“...Yeah, you definitely need to get it relooked at.”

 

...He had named all the alcoholic drinks after personas. The coffees were named after the personas of his teammates, and the meals were named after their names(i.e the Panther Special, much to Ann Takamaki’s amusement. Especially when they were found out to be crepes.)

 

The names had to be approved by a government agency. Specifically, an association that supervises alcohol consumption, labelling, and naming. Ren actually kept a very good bearing on these things. Previous experience with the diet and Yoshida helped him a lot in that area. But surprisingly, the names were approved. There were a few reasons he theorized as to  _ why _ they got approved. 

 

Theory #1: Yoshida had some hand in it. Considering his protege was now prime minister after his predecessor stepped down after his third term, it is certainly likely. Especially since Ren knew the protege personally.

 

Theory #2: The meeting with the representatives made some impact. Akechi kept insisting, from what she heard, that he “charmed the hell out of them.'' He wasn’t certain, but who knows.

 

Theory #3: They actually liked the names of the drinks. Honestly Ren wasn’t sure about the likelihood there. 

 

Theory #3: It was just random luck and/or the representatives don’t really care about drink names, more about the actual contents. Regulations had become far more serious in the past few years. Too many people taking advantage of others, even in shoddy small bars. As long as these individual bars didn’t produce anything fishy, they were sure to be approved. 

 

But it didn’t really matter to Ren. He was doing his job and he was having a blast with it. The world has changed, and while everyone had changed with it, at least he was doing something that made him happy. 

 

But then in the midst of this beautifully fantastic day, Touma and Hideki Ashi walked in. Some didn’t notice them at all, and just saw other customers rolling in. Some, who had been there the previous day, immediately recognized them and started talking amongst themselves, or tried to decide if they could help in any way. Makoto immediately recognized them, and prepared to make a move in case anything got messy. Akira and Ryota noticed them, and put two and two together and did the same as their mother. 

 

But Ren on the other hand, from the moment the door chimed, saw them instantly.  And for a brief thirty seconds, he nearly broke down again. But things had changed since last night. More people were here.  _ His family _ was here. So he just smiled. Though his heart was aching. Even though it was breaking. Even though there were clouds in his sky. He could and would get by. 

 

After what felt like ages, they walked up to the counter. There was an eerie silence for a few seconds. And then, a simple order was requested.

 

“...Hello Ren. May I have a Necronomicon?”

 

Ren smirked. “No beer?”

 

And weirdly, so did Touma. “Well, 1. My son is here. 2. I wanted to try something different, what can I say? Plus I’ve been feeling awfully tired lately. Hideki, what do you want?”

 

Silence. 

 

“...Can I have some juice please?”

 

“What kind?”

 

“Orange juice, if you’ve got it.”

 

While Ren prepped up the drinks, mostly everything went back to normal. Only people that were still tense were Ryota, Akira, and Makoto. But Akira being...well, Akira, tried to change the mood by asking again about vectors. And once that was brought up, Ryota and Makoto got back into the groove again. But the former detective never stopped looking at the Ashis. 

 

Eventually the order was completed, and the drinks were handed to both Touma and Hideki. And once again, there was a silence. The former slowly drank his coffee, and the latter very quickly drank his juice. 

 

And then the silence was broken. By Hideki. 

 

“Dad.”

 

“Yes son?”

 

“Don’t you have something to say?”

 

“I’m getting to it!”

 

“Well say it now!”

 

“Okay then!”

 

Makoto and Ren smiled at the bickering. And then there was a slight silence again. Until Hideki nudged Touma and he sighed.

 

“Ren. I’m so so so so sorry about how I treated you yesterday. It was unfair. You weren’t the one that killed my wife.  _ His _ mother. It was all Atlas Corp. And while the court case was lost, you did more than your best. Because now they will be gone soon. My wife, when she was starting to get sick, wanted me to just...find resolution. Not vengeance. Or even justice in a way. Resolution. I asked her what that meant. And she said only I could know.”

 

The entire bar seemed more quiet than it actually was. At that moment, it all felt empty except for the father and son facing the bartender. That bartender smiled. “She sounds like a smart woman.”

 

Touma laughed, while Hideki just stayed silent. But he did smile just a bit. “She was.” Then he wiped a tear from his eye. “She made me promise to cry whenever I needed to. And sometimes I really still need to. But right now, I can’t. Because you deserve my utmost respect. After all you’ve done for me and my family. Your motto proved true after all.”

 

Ren laughed. “Hah! ‘We are Arsene Defense and Investigations! For those who’ve been abused by the world around them.”

 

Touma joined in with a grin. “‘For those who demand justice, one they think they can never have.’”

 

And then even Hideki joined in. “‘Or for those who want to keep the brightest of days alive. And comfort in their darkest of nights.”

 

“‘Then we are the firm for you!’” 

 

The three laughed at the outburst. And the day before seemed to be forgotten. The other Amamiyas were all watching now with big smiles. Everything just felt more calm now. Hope was brought back to their doorstep. 

 

And then Hideki smiled. “Ren? Thank you so much. I know my Mom’s gone. And she may not get the justice she deserves but...well, my Dad is smiling now. And so are you. And right now I think that’s all that m-matters. Also t-the present you gave me last week helped me a lot. Do you want the comic back?”

 

Ren smiled kindly right back. “No thank you Hideki. In fact…” He pulled out something from a drawer underneath him. It was a comic with a picture on the front of a man with blonde hair holding a laser gun. The title was a simple one word with a subtitle under it.

 

“Smile!:

A spin off story in the Persona 5 Saga!”

 

  
“You can have this one! You’ll love it, seriously. And please, just call me Ren.” He looked up at Touma with a smile. “That goes for you too. If you need us for anything, and I do mean anything, call. Please.”

 

Touma raised an eyebrow. “...Us?”

 

Ren grinned as Makoto smiled and stood up, walking to the pair. “I’d like you to meet my...better half?”

 

Makoto smirked. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

 

“...Makoto Amamiya.”

 

“Nice to meet you too! I had a hand in helping your case.” She elected not to mention her knowledge of the argument the previous day, because it seemed like that had passed. All was well now. “And...I’m truly sorry about what happened to your wife. I hate to say it but” She looked at Ren with a small ounce of sorrow in her eyes. “I’ve...been there before.”

 

Touma noticed the look in her eyes. “You have, haven’t you?” He smiled softly. “Well I’m glad to meet you too.”

 

And then Akira and Ryota walked up, all while quietly bickering to each other. Akira was the first to introduce herself. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Ashi! I’m glad you’ve been so nice to my Dad today after what happened yesterday, because if that happened again, you would be-”

 

Ryota punched her in the shoulder slightly, to which she recoiled. “Ow! I could totally hit you back if I could y’know?”

 

Ryota grinned. “Oh trust me, I know.” Then he looked up at Touma. “...Basically what she said. If we can help in any way though,  _ we’d _ be happy to.”

 

Touma and Hideki were floored. Finally, they felt like something good was happening. Then Touma just grinned. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like some food. I owe you after what happened yesterday. Maybe a Queen Special?”

 

Makoto scoffed. “Good choice.”

 

And so, everyone sat down at a table. They talked about their lives and some of their stories. But all of the Amamiyas, especially Akira and Ryota, made sure Hideki was smiling. And all was well. Things had become better again.

 

The world may have changed, people may have changed, but those changes don’t have to be bad. They can work out for the better of all involved. Despite all odds, despite all losses, despite all suffering, Ren and Makoto have changed for the better. They’re exactly where they want to be and need to be. In many ways, a miracle has occurred. A river in a dry land. A last ace in a lost hand. Life has indeed changed. 

 

But you can’t have a change like that without a great amount of pain. 

 

And as for the suffering…

 

Well you’ll find out soon enough.

 

After a while, Ren raised a glass. Most people had already left by now, but the Ashis and Amamiyas were still there. 

 

“To Karin Ashi!”

 

Akira, Ryota, Makoto, Touma, and even Hideki with his juice box raised their drinks and chanted the same thing. 

 

“To Karin Ashi!”

 

Then Ren looked at Touma. And then to Makoto. And then to his children. They were all smiling. Ren knew just what to say. 

 

So he raised his glass one more time, and chanted once more.

 

“And…

 

To resolution!”

 

And everyone did the same, as Touma had finally found what he needed for so long.

 

All of them had. 

 

Because no matter what happens from here on out, they knew just what to do. To cry when they needed to, to get mad when necessary, but most of all?

 

“To resolution!”

 

To smile. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! I really hoped everyone enjoyed. I know I did! This was one of my favorite fics ever to write and got me hyped to write more of A&F, and that should be coming...soon  
> It feels pointless to make any specific dates, with E3 this week, and my birthday on Wednesday, plus the games I might get and occasionally mass distress, who knows anymore?  
> But I'm working on it.  
> But seriously, thank you all for bearing with me. And if you enjoyed it, please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts.  
> But for now, so long and see you soon!

**Author's Note:**

> ...Okay, so yes, it took a turn.  
> I guess I can't really write fully angst-free fics, now can I?  
> But anyways, I hope you enjoyed and please! Leave a comment and tell me what your thoughts were!


End file.
